Cast Me Not Away
by Thanitos101b
Summary: After a chance encounter with an old friend Seth and Ryan question whether their friendship could lead to something more. Yes this is a SethRyan story
1. Chapter 1

** Disclaimer **Yeah. I don't own the OC, and no offense or infringement was intended.

* * *

"So Theresa called, she wants to talk," Ryan said leaning over to pick a penny off the ground. He was walking with Seth towards the Crab Shack.

"Okay. I have been wondering this for awhile now… what is the deal with mysterious people from your past turning up out of nowhere?" asked Seth.

"You know about Theresa, so it's not out of nowhere."

"Yeah. I know now. But first it was your mom, then Trey, then Theresa, and then that scary guy…"

"Most of those people didn't just show up out of nowhere. Maybe Theresa did… at first," Ryan said rolling his eyes.

"It's like our house is your bus station. You know I have people in my past who could show up at any minute."

"You have people in your past?" Ryan asked incredulously.

The pair was interrupted by the sound of a horn honking as a car speed away.

"Same to you buddy!" a woman carrying a massive amount of shopping bags yelled as she gave the car the finger while walking backwards. Her back slammed right into Seth's front causing the pair to fall to the ground spreading the bags all over the side walk. Seth leaped to his knees and started picking up bags when he glanced into the woman's eyes.

"Seth? Seth Cohen?" She asked standing up.

"Caroline?"

She ran up and gave him a massive hug. "I haven't seen you since the sixth grade!"

Ryan took a moment to puzzle over just how convenient this was, and wondered if Seth had somehow managed to pay this woman off when he wasn't looking. She certainly didn't seem like the kind of woman who would normally embrace Seth. She was extremely thin, her long red hair was being held back by a pair of expensive sunglasses, and her lips were bright red. She looked like a red haired Marissa. He wondered how Seth could possibly know her and why he had never seen her before.

"Caroline, this is my friend Ryan. Ryan this is Caroline, she and I went to elementary school together."

"Hmm… you have a friend… I always thought it would happen someday," she laughed.

"Oh ha ha, very funny," Seth mumbled as he handed her the last of the bags.

"All right you manly men, walk me to the restaurant since we have so much catching up to do," she said as she handed several bags to both the boys and then marched ahead of them.

* * *

"So he leaped off the eagle's nest landing on me screaming 'You will never threaten Gotham again Catwoman.' And that's how we met," Caroline said leaning over the table.

"Wow. You leapt on a girl?" asked Ryan.

"I was seven, and I had an active imagination. It was like Rugrats, only minus the ugly babies. And what are you doing back here anyways? Last time I checked you had moved to the East Coast?" Seth asked.

"Well my parent's house burned down during a flood. So we are currently staying with my grandparents while the house is being rebuilt."

"Your house burned down during a flood?" asked Seth incredulously.

"Our fuse box got wet and sparked to the curtains. It was a big mess," she said gesturing angrily at Seth. "I don't want to talk about it. Anyways… So… you two?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"What?" asked Seth.

"Well how long have you been dating, where did you meet, I want to know it all."

"What!" yelled both Seth and Ryan simultaneously.

"Okay… I guess you haven't started dating, but I can see the sparks flying! Oh young love is so exciting," Caroline squealed as she leaned back in her seat.

"I'm not gay," Seth said as he looked at Ryan sitting next to him, "we're not gay."

"We're just friends," Ryan added.

"You're… not gay?" She asked stifling a laugh.

"No… er… yes…. Ummm me not gay," Seth said trying to puzzle over the negative in the question.

"Is it really crowded in that closet or is it a walk in?" she asked giggling.

"Why do you keep insinuating I'm gay?" asked Seth in a hissed whisper.

"Who is insinuating? I am stating it," She said laughing.

"Listen I have had three girlfriends! I am not gay. No matter what the Water Polo team says!"

"Ryan," Caroline said turning her head towards him, "Would you be honest with me if I asked a question?"

"Uhh sure, I guess…" he said.

"Out of these three alleged relationships how many has our beloved Seth ruined by unprecedented in the history of mankind levels of psychotic neurosis?" she asked.

"Well…" Ryan responded.

"I knew it!" she said pounding her fist on the table.

"Now that is not fair!"

"You wreaked Alex since you couldn't get over her past, you broke up with Anna when you couldn't get Summer out of your mind and you broke up with Summer twice… once when you… were upset I left…" Ryan said as his face contorted weirdly.

"Oh my! I hit the gay mother load." Caroline smiled. Then she looked down at her watch. "But, I am so going to be late. Bye bye boys," Caroline said as she pulled her sunglasses down and left. "Talk to you later! Try to work out your issues before then!"

Seth and Ryan sat next to each other in a moment of silence.

"Umm I have to go… Theresa, I told you." Ryan said getting up.

"Ryan wait!" Seth screamed, " I hope she is not going to make things, like, weird or something."

"Yeah… no. We're still cool. But Theresa…"

"Yeah… bye…" Seth said as he opened the door for Ryan.


	2. Chapter 2

Seth walked out of the restaurant humming to himself. He wondered over to the bench at the end of the pier and sat down looking at the ocean. He was feeling conflicting emotions about the lunch. And when Seth felt conflicted he liked to talk, a lot. Sighing he picked up his cell phone and punched in Summer's number.

"Hello," came a static voice on the other end of the line.

"Hey Summer. Its Seth."

"Hi! What do you want Cohen?" she asked cheerfully "But can you make it quick, Marissa is over right now.

"You won't guess who I ran into today?" Seth asked smiling.

"Oliver?"

"God no!"

"Hmmm… Anna?"

"Certainly not."

"Who then?" Summer asked.

"Do you remember Caroline from elementary school?"

"The girl you leapt on?" Summer asked.

"Yeah."

"Well how is she?"

"Good. I guess. She said something weird though."

"What?"

"Well… she thought I was gay."

"What?" Summer said laughing.

"And she thought Ryan was like my boyfriend or something," upon saying it all he could hear was Summer's insane cackling laughter.

"Thanks Cohen! I needed a good laugh, but I have to go… Marissa stealing my magazines."

Seth put the phone back, and sadly looked at the ocean. He wondered if he should call Anna. She was wise after all.

* * *

Ryan and Theresa walked through the park, each of them licking an ice cream cone. 

"So… what did you want to talk about?" asked Ryan as he licked his cone.

"Nothing really. I was here in Newport for the weekend so I figured I would stop by and we could hang out… but something is clearly on your mind," Theresa said while giving him a look that clearly meant she was not going to let the subject drop.

"Well… lately. Things are weird," Ryan said vaguely.

"Since you moved to Newport everything has been ridiculously weird in your life. How is this any different."

"Well lately, I get the feeling Seth… likes me." Ryan stuttered.

"You are his best friend. Of course he likes you," Theresa said looking quizzical.

"I mean he seems like he likes me likes me."

"What do you mean 'likes you likes you?'"

"As in he likes me… likes me."

"Ohh like he likes… okay we have got to stop with the 'likes,' he is interested in you. Like romantically or sexually or something?"

"Yeah. I think," Ryan stated shoving his free hand into his pocket.

"Why?"

"Well it occasionally feels like he is checking me out or something. One time he got all… jealous of me and another guy who I was hanging out with. I don't know. And then this girl thought we were dating today."

"And you don't like it?" asked Theresa.

"Yeah."

"Or is it that you might be interested in him?" Theresa said knowingly.

"What? No!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Why?"

"Well I could be like Seth and say 'you were into musical theater Snoopy,' but the real reason is that the two of you… just seem like you are dating. I get a vibe."

"What?"

"Well… okay. It is kind of like your Kirsten to his Sandy."

"I'm the woman?" asked a shocked Ryan.

"Ryan… Besides our little fling you never really dated outside of a train wreck known as Marissa. But you and Seth… just seem like… more than friends."

"Well we are like brothers. Bro-thers. Not lovers."

"Whatever. I love you, you're my best friend. And I just want you to be happy. And Seth clearly makes you happy."

"What?"

"Oh come on Ryan. Remember your friends back in Chino?"

"What about them?"

"Well were they really your friends?"

"Uhh… I don't get where you are going with this." Ryan said feeling awkward.

"Okay, besides me, was there anyone who genuinely liked you, and was not using you? Trey, Arturo, even Eddie."

"Well, okay, we lived a hard life and a lot of us made bad choices. Occasionally I did some people some favors."

"Did some favors?" Theresa asked. "Ryan, all you did was do favors. As much as it might seem like Seth had no friends before you, you had no real friends before Seth. Well except for me."

"Well… I guess you could look at it that way."

"Seth is a good guy. You could do a lot worse, you have done a lot worse."

"I'm not gay." Ryan said with finality. But as he spoke his thoughts flashed back to one of his first nights at the Cohen house. That night he had caught himself gazing at Seth as he slept.


	3. Chapter 3

At Summer's house, she and Marissa were lying on a bed looking at a magazine.

"This poor girl!" Marissa said laughing. "She found out her boyfriend is gay! That is so terrible. We shouldn't be laughing at her…"

"Yeah! But we are going to anyways. You know… speaking of which you remember that girl Caroline right?"

"From elementary school?"

"Yeah. Well she apparently thought Cohen was gay! Is that not the funniest thing you ever heard? I mean eww Cohen and guys?"

"Well…" said Marissa, "The thought had crossed my mind."

"What?" asked Summer feigning horror.

"Come on! You don't find him a little effeminate? And the way he is always hanging on to Ryan… it is a little stalkery."

"What? No! Ryan is always hanging on to Seth. He is all 'no I won't go to the party… wait Seth wants to go, I'm going to,'" Summer said hitting Marissa with a pillow.

"Okay! I'll admit it! They both can be a little gay at times," Marissa said grabbing a pillow.

After a brief but fun pillow fight the girls settled back on the bed.

"You don't think he really is gay?" asked Summer.

"No! Of course not, you slept with him didn't you?"

"Yeah, but it wasn't like good…" Summer said insecurely.

"No! They are both really straight." Marissa said firmly.

* * *

"Okay, I think we need to talk," Seth said as he nervously paced the pool house.

"This isn't about… that one thing?" asked Ryan.

"Uhh, well I just think things are slightly weird between us. That sucks. We shouldn't be weird."

"Okay. So someone thought we were gay…"

"Not that there is anything wrong with it," Seth helpfully added.

"But we are not. So lets just forget the whole thing."

"Well, well, well I suppose that is good for you. You can live in denial. Go ahead live in Egypt. But I can't just let things go. Have you learned nothing about me? I analyze and pick things apart going over each and every piece until…"

Ryan had learned by now when to tune Seth out. A ranting Seth rarely made much sense, and plus he had a tendency to repeat the point three or four times. But this particular rant seemed to not be stopping. Ryan walked over to where Seth was talking with the intention of putting his hand over the other boy's mouth in an effort to get him to quit talking. But when he looked as Seth's lips moving he was over come with the idea of another means of stopping the babbling.

"And if you had seen me with Anna and then later with Zach where I just kept picking and picking…" Seth said, but he was suddenly stopped by Ryan's mouth upon his. Much to Seth surprise he felt his mouth returning the kiss. It felt warm. It felt good. It felt right.

An hour later Seth awkwardly rolled over facing Ryan on the bed. Ryan was fast asleep, but that did not really matter to Seth. He leaned over and started to poke Ryan.

"Ryan? Are you awake?"

Ryan made a slight grumpy sound. So Seth decided to take more drastic measures. He reached over and closed Ryan's nostrils with his fingers.

"Ahh, I'm awake, I'm awake."

Seth tried smiling, but it quickly contorted into a look of nervousness.

"Hey, Ryan. Umm I was wondering what that was."

"Weren't you there?" Ryan asked puzzled.

"Well… I mean… I don't really understand. I mean I never have done anything with a guy before. Are we… gay?" Seth asked.

"Do you… feel gay?" Ryan asked back.

"How does it feel to be gay?" Seth asked as he pulled him self into a small ball.

"I don't know. I am not sure what we are…" Ryan sighed as he inched closer to Seth.

"Do you, uhh, like regret what happened?" Seth asked.

"No. Uhh, you're my friend. And we can still be friends," said Ryan as he placed his arm over Seth's shoulder.

"Okay… I guess I should go back to my room. I don't want the parents being… weird," Seth said as he got up. As he was leaving Seth leaned in for a kiss, however Ryan looked at him oddly. So he pulled back. When Ryan saw the other boy look a little hurt he got up to give Seth a hug, but Seth had already gotten to the door.

"Umm, see you are breakfast," Seth said quietly.


	4. Chapter 4

Sandy stood next to the island counter reading the Saturday newspaper. He watched as Ryan entered from the pool house.

"Hey, so what were you doing last night?" Sandy asked as he got out a bagel.

"What? Oh, uhh, nothing." Ryan said looking a little pensive.

"Well you were out all afternoon," Sandy said slightly surprised at Ryan's odd reaction.

"Oh, yeah, Theresa was in town. We had ice cream."

"Well that is good. Theresa is a sweet girl. And she likes you, you know," Sandy said giving him a wink.

"Yeah. Well, with the baby, and Eddie, and all that, yeah we can't really be more than friends."

"That's good. It's hard to maintain a friendship with someone you dated. Things get weird."

"Well Kirsten and Jimmy are still friends? I mean just because you… do stuff or something doesn't mean you can't be friends."

"I suppose so. Ryan… did something happen?" asked Sandy.

Unfortunately Seth wondering down in his robe interrupted the question.

"Hi dad, do we have any bagels?" asked Seth as he purposefully avoided looking at Ryan.

"Sorry son, I ate the last one."

"Umm, well that is okay. I guess. Uhh I guess I am off to the shower," Seth said as he bolted out of the room.

"What was that?" Sandy asked.

"What?"

"Seth always has a bagel, coffee, and wants the Arts and Leisure section. Are you two fighting?" Sandy asked.

"What? No."

"Because I am getting a strange vibe off the two of you. Like something happened."

"No, nothing happened," Ryan said.

"Alright, if you say so."

* * *

Ryan lay on Seth's bed waiting to hear the shower go off. Sadly he had gotten caught up reading an issue of Fantastic Four, so he didn't notice when Seth came in.

"Ryan?" Seth asked.

"Oh… uh… hi."

"Why are you in my room?" Seth asked confrontationally.

"Seth, we can't be like this."

"Like what?"

"Seth we are good friends, we live together. We have get over this. We can't be weird."

"Weird. So now I am weird?"

"No… yes… I don't know."

"You know you started this. And now it is just going to be awkward for the rest of our lives. You might be gay, but I'm not."

"Well I didn't mean to, it just sort of happened."

'You don't just sort of kiss somebody."

"Look, okay, if you are going to be this way… I'm going to leave."

Ryan got up to go to the door, but as he walked past Seth his friend pushed him towards the wall and kissed him passionately, and deeply.

Shortly it was Ryan's turn to wake Seth up. Ryan leaned over and gently rocked Seth awake. "Seth… I think I'm… ga… I think I like… guys."

"Yeah," Seth said a little hesitantly. "I think I might too."

"Uhh, do you think we should talk to your parents? About it I mean?" Ryan asked fighting.

"No!" Seth cried, "We can't tell them."

"But, I don't want to keep something from them," Ryan said, "I mean they were cool with Carson."

"No! No! We don't tell them anything."

"Why not? I grew up in a house with nothing but secrets. Can't we please just be honest?"

"No. We just can't. They can't know."


End file.
